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Shamans have to make a living too

Karys Woodcock, 65, who is legally changing his name to LBear, was raised in England. He says his father had Crow Indian heritage, which entitles him to be a shaman – a spiritual healer or medicine man.

Since he moved to Woodville three years ago, the part-time actor has attracted a strong following for his “medicine readings” and ghost-busting services.

But because he charges for those services, his clairvoyant rivals around the Palmerston North area say he can’t be genuine.

Joseph O’Connor, 81, known as “the magic man”, says he is a third-generation psychic and shaman, and is adamant genuine shamans do not charge.

“Laughing Bear is an actor living in a world of fantasy, not a shaman,” he says.

“Renting out rooms to unregistered psychics must be stamped out. There are so many so-called psychics robbing the public.

Tip: Blue_wode on Twitter

I am amused by stories of people who are purveyors of nonsense (psychics) calling out as fake purveyors of the same nonsense (psychics). No one likes flamboyant upstarts pushing in on their territory. In this case, it appears that the native shamans are not about money but about the possibility of their reputation being cheapened. The argument is that is in the past, people who received these services from the local shaman would pay him back in kind in some way. Mr. LBear is charging $60 to $70 an hour for medicine card readings. Eh, he’s got to make a living he says. The culture has changed a bit (but sort of stayed the same as some revere this skill.)

In the U.S., many psychics, spiritual advisors and natural healers are paid as well. The SADDEST part is that people are still willing to pay for superstitious services like card-reading and and ghost-busting.